Liquid-rule.



T. A. SAMMONS;

LIQUID RULE APPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1912.

Patented 0011.1,1912.

M W w provide the ab lent and satisfactory means of measurement St ate clear, and exact enabledto determme in a manner more'convenlent than by Its upper end'with a valve and valve box.

r m TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OHIO.

' THOMAS A. sAmM'oNs, or DAYTON, LIQUID-RULE. 1,039,31 Specification of Letters Patent.. P t t d 0 1; 1,1912,

Application 'filed May 9, 1912. Serial No. 696,095.

As a means of determining the contents oi barrels contalning whisky, brandy, etc. in a mannerother To all whom it may concern: i Beit known that I, THoMAs- A. SAMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of ontgomery and have invented certain new in Liquid-Rules; and I do declare the following to be a full, description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to, which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tov the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification. 1

My invention which in the wayof classification is given the name of liquid rule, re lates to ways and means of ascertaining the correct depth of any liquid contained in barrels, kegs, jugs, etc., but more particularly to whisky, brandy, gin, etc., and in a manner more convenient and satisfactory than is possible by the uncertain method of with a graduated scale in pints, quarts, and gallons, measuring from the bottom upward. The graduating .lines indicate the amount in pints, gallons as the liquid adjusts itsel side dimensions of the barrel.

In order that barrels ties might be measured to the inof different capaci-' graduating scales measuring in pints, quarts upon the/rule, the

marked upon the corresponding scale.

'Having thus set forth the objects 0 invention, I will "in detail and su claims what I believe to be new and useful. Referring first to the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate the invention, a vertical longitudinal elevation of my improved liquid gage or measuring tube, a portion of the length thereof being removed. Fig.. 2 is a longitudinal mid-sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line a-a of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line b-b 'ofFig. 2.- Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a barrel or cask as the same comes from the wholesale dealer or distiller, showing my improved. liquid gage in position therein, The device as shown :of the drawings, contains calibrations designed to measure-the contents of a container in gallons and fractional parts thereof, while, as shownin Fig. 1, the calibrations are in inches and fractions thereof.

Referring in detail to the said drawings, a

and Wholesale dealers. v L he primary ob ect of the lnvention 1s to ove mentloned more convenwhereby the purchaser of such liquids is remeasuring in pints, warts and gallons, whether the contents 0 vessel delivered to him are .the same as they were at the time of shipment from the wholesale house or distillery, understanding of course, that the vessel had been measure by t e same process at thetimei of shipment and the contents in inch in'easurement stamped i To this end, m invention consists of a hollow transparent tube, preferably glass, of any suitable length or diameter, provided on constructed of a suitable quality of glass and of any desirable length, the effective length thereof being'determin'ed by the dimensions or depth of the liquid container or containers in is designed to be air-within the hollow tube of which, when bottom of the vessel containing whisky, brandy, gin, etc., allows the liquid to find its way up the tube to the level of that contained inthe lift therefrom the same amount 1n inches as and the tube is inserted to. the

used. As a means of protainer,

in this figure designates a transparent tube, preferablyconnection with which itin pints, quarts and gallons, by the same rule, a pluralityof tection, the end of the tube or gage which engages the interior surface of the -con-' head andheld in position thereby.

of that within the vessel.

tained in said vessel.

inclosed by a metallic shell d contracted at one end to engage the tube below the slalild e larger end of said shell is interiorly screwthreaded to receive the screw-threaded extensions e of a nut f. The nut 7 also has a tubular extension g which provides a casing in which lies the stem h of a valve 71. The said valve stem has a portion of itslength reduced in diameter to provide an air passage-way n around it which communicates with the atmosphere through one or more ports 11- in the extensions g. Communica tion between the passage-way n and the chamber 2'' is controlled by the valve. A spring 0 engages the valve disk at one end and a gasket 0' at the other and causes said valve to normally close the air communication between the tube and the atmosphere. The gasket 0' is a packing made of suitable material such as leather. The operation of the gage is briefly asfollows: The valve is-first pressed inwardly by the finger engaging the exposed head of the stem 41, thus opening the air passage to the interior of the tube. The tube is then inserted in the vessel, the contents of which is to be measured, until the end thereof engages the interior surface of said vessel. Communication being established between the tube and the atmosphere, the liquid will rise within the tube. until it attains the level v The valve is then released from the finger pressure and is returned by the spring 0 to its former closed position, thus closing the communication between the tube and the atmosphere; the tube I may then be removed with its contents from the vessel. Itwill be found to have removed a quantity of the liquid contents of the vesselequal in length to the depth ofthat co'n- If the gage scale reads ininches and fractions thereof, the quantity of the liquid in the vessel will be in this manner ascertained depth, or the gage may be scaled to read directly in gallons and fractions thereof, as in Fig. 5 when the capacity of the gage is shown to be 5% gallons which is the capacity of the vessel. The space between'the gallon marks vary in -accordance with the varying widths of the vessel. Wherever the gage is made to measure the liquid in gallons or fractions thereof, each size of barrel or container requires .its own individual gage as will be understood, but where the measurements are Ob. tained indirectly, a single gage, calibrated in inches and fractions as in Fig. 1, may be utilized in connection with barrels or containers of different sizes. When the contents of a vessel have-been ascertained from a reading of the scale, the valve may be opened to-admit air to the tube and the contents allowed to fall back into the vessel.

Having described the construction and operation of my invention, I desire to claim, 1. A liquid gage adapted to be inserted in a container to ascertain the quantity of liquid therein, and consisting of a transparenttube provided on its outer surface with a suitable graduated scale to indicate the quantity of liquid in the container, a valve casing on the outer'end of said tube providing 'two chambers, one of which communicates directly with the tube and the other of which communicates with the atmosphere, a valve in said casing controlling the communication between said chambers, and by means of which the liquid is permitted to enter said tube and to be retained therein.

2. The combination in a liquid rule, of a transparent tubular member provided with a scale indicating quantities of liquid in a container, said tube being enlarged in diameter at one end, a casing secured to said enlarged 'end, an apertured member having an air port secured to said casing and providing a valve chamber adapted to communicate with the atmosphere through said air port and with the opening in said tubular member, a valve controlling the communication between said chamber and the opening in said tubular member, a stem secured to said valve and extended through said apertured member, said stem having two diameters, adapted to open and close said air port, and a spring normally holding said.valve seated,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliJi my signature, 1 0

Witnesses R. J. MCCARTY,

MATTHEW Sisnmm. 

